Alberici

Alberici is an Italian patronymic surname meaning "son of Alberico." The personal name Alberico itself is the Italian form of the Old German Alberich, derived from the elements alb ("elf") and rih ("ruler, king"), thus meaning "elf-ruler" or "king of elves." The name Alberich carried legendary and historical weight: in Germanic mythology, Alberich is a dwarf who guards the treasure of the Nibelungs in the medieval epic Nibelungenlied, and also appears as a helper in the poem Ortnit. Historically, the Germanic name was borne by two Lombard dukes of Spoleto in the 10th century, and by Saint Alberich, a 12th-century French monk who co-founded the Cistercian Order.

The surname Alberici, as a patronymic, emerged in Italy when surnames became hereditary, often denoting lineage from a father or ancestor named Alberico. The name is most common in northern and central Italy, particularly in regions that were under Lombard influence. Over time, variants developed due to regional dialects and spelling conventions, including Alberghi, Alberghini, Alberighi, Albricci, and Albrici. In English, the name evolved into Avery as a given name and surname, derived from the Old French form Auberi.

Notable bearers of the surname include:

• Augusto Alberici (19th century), Italian painter and antiquarian
• Emma Alberici (born 1970), Australian journalist formerly with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
• Nuvolone Alberici (12th century), Italian diplomat and statesman of the early Republic of Genoa, who served as an envoy to the Holy Roman Emperor